Counsilman-HunsakerAquatics for Life2015-03-31T19:31:38Zhttp://www.counsilmanhunsaker.com/feed/atom/lindahttp://www.counsilmanhunsaker.com/?p=108972015-03-20T18:11:49Z2015-03-20T18:11:49Zmore]]>Channel at Mission Bay is a 315-unit luxury apartment complex featuring views of the San Francisco skyline, Bay Bridge, and the AT&T baseball stadium. The building’s courtyard level has multiple recreation elements including a bocce ball court, fitness center, business center, an outdoor amphitheater with fire pits, and three communal kitchens.

A key feature of the courtyard enjoyed by residents is the outdoor area where the stunning resort-style 1,000 sq. ft. pool and 120 sq. ft. spa offer daytime shimmer and nighttime luminescence, ensuring lifelong memories of swimming and relaxing in the aquatic paradise they call home.

By continuing the City of San Francisco’s commitment to sustainability, the apartment complex is pursuing LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Several strategies were put in place to make the project green. Sustainable building elements include low-flow fixtures, formaldehyde-free cabinets and countertops, low-VOC materials, high-efficiency heating systems, fully commissioned building systems, and water-efficient landscaping.

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0lindahttp://www.counsilmanhunsaker.com/?p=111212015-03-19T15:17:21Z2015-03-19T15:17:21Zmore]]>By George Deines

Published: Park and Rec Business magazine – April 2015 issue

As the president of the North Texas Aquatics Association, I recently surveyed aquatic professionals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, as well as some colleagues on the World Waterpark Association’s Public Sector Committee to determine the challenges and obstacles they are facing. As the results came in, I quickly realized the majority of the challenges fell into three categories:

Staffing

Staffing

Finances

Facilities

Staffing

Staffing issues top the list of challenges, mainly because of the nature of the positions and hours offered to prospective employees. Operators need staff members from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and most of the weekends. However, sometimes staff members are only needed for a few hours at a time (programming, noon lap swim, etc.), and it’s difficult to find dedicated and engaged employees who want to work a staggered schedule. As a result, employee turnover and competition from other less-stringent jobs stood out as primary challenges. Throw in the lack of buy-in from younger employees, and the complexities of recruiting, training, and motivating staff members, and it’s easy to see why aquatic professionals have a difficult task ahead of them.

Finances

On the financial side, challenges include the rising cost of equipment, supplies, and labor—something I noticed over the course of my days as a public-sector operator. From 2007 to 2014, the cost of calcium hypochlorite rose from $166 for 100 pounds to $193; that’s a 14-percent increase during times of shrinking budgets. Couple these rising costs with aquatic staff being given unrealistic cost-recovery goals for the facility and decreased annual operating budgets, and staff members quickly become frustrated as they are commanded to generate more revenue with fewer resources.

Facilities

Operators continuously struggle with maintaining aging facilities at an acceptable level without the finances to do so. Aging pools built in the 1970s and 1980s face physical (aging infrastructure) and functional (lack of features) obsolescence. As a result, these facilities suffer low attendance, which puts revenue at an all-time low, while their costs continue to rise. Add in changing codes and legislation to the mix and now operators are being asked to patch a 40-year-old pool merely to get it into compliance when the pool really needs a complete renovation.

Tackling Issues

With this list of challenges identified that hinder aquatic professionals, a framework can be developed to start tackling the issues. First, ask some questions:

1.) What difficulties does this challenge pose?

2.) How does the challenge affect the organization and operation?

3.) What are the benefits of overcoming this challenge?

4.) How do I overcome it?

Let’s use training and motivating staff as an example:

1.) What difficulties does this challenge pose?

Aquatic operators lack the time and resources to fully train staff members, primarily because of many other responsibilities. Recruiting, hiring, programming, payroll, and maintenance all take time, which leaves little time for training. Lack of funding also impacts training and motivation because training funds typically are the first to go when a budget gets slashed.

2.) How does the challenge affect the organization and operation?

The lack of training and motivation means that operators sometimes receive poor employee behaviors that can put guests at risk, as well as provide them with poor service. Without training, employees are less likely to buy-in to the vision and culture of the organization, which means they leave sooner, resulting in a high employee turnover rate. That circle means less time to train and motivate because of the time spent recruiting and hiring.

3.) What are the benefits of overcoming this challenge?

The benefits of training and motivating staff members far outweigh the time and resources it takes because of more efficiency in time management. Some responsibilities can be delegated to more proficient staff members, and the good behaviors start to flow from within the team. The result is a safer facility with employees who provide better overall service. They start believing in the philosophy and vision and so consequently stay longer, which reduces turnover and allows more time to focus on improving the operation instead of just getting by.

4.) How do I overcome it?

This is probably the toughest question to answer, but it’s also the most important. Operators should create a training calendar that covers all of the topics that need addressing on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis with each of their levels of employees. Once complete, the importance of training to achieve the organization’s vision is realized (don’t forget to make attendance mandatory). Also, make sure to hire individuals who share the same values, a positive attitude, internal motivation, and great communication skills. These individuals are easy to train. The hiring process might take more time initially, but it will save time in the long run. Training is merely an extension of the process, so it’s important to show organizational purpose and vision in the interview, as well as every day on the job. Disclose expectations on the front-end of employment, communicating to individuals what to do, how to do it, and why it matters. Buy-in, loyalty, staff retention, and employee engagement await!

Overcoming challenges and obstacles can be a difficult process, but a worthwhile one. Improving operations just a small amount at a time will yield big rewards and prepare an organization for success for many years to come.

George Deines is a Project Manager with 15 years of operations experience in the aquatic industry. Reach him at georgedeines@chh2o.com.

Maximizing the experience of your waterpark’s guests should be of primary importance to you and your team. After all, waterpark operators exist to provide safe, clean, friendly and fun aquatic experiences for their guests of all ages. Unfortunately, sometimes the goal to provide a quality experience comes up short, ending in the dreaded guest complaint. From a slow moving line to enter the park, to a cold order from the waterpark food and beverage stand, to a lack of engagement from a park team member, complaints come in various shapes and sizes and most can be avoided if the proper planning, training and implementation of a quality waterpark operation takes place. This article will use three years’ worth of guest surveys, mystery shopper reports and analysis of employee behaviors to show the reasons guests complain, practical ways to eliminate those complaints, and how to train your park’s staff to be more knowledgeable, efficient and engaged.

Through the analysis of those three years’ worth of survey and reports, I found that waterpark guests typically complain about issues in one of five areas: facility, policies and procedures, experience, personnel and food and beverage. While these categories are not hard and fast, they do give great insight into the mind of the waterpark guest and the expectations they have when they get to your park.

Facility issues guest complain about include the appearance and cleanliness of the park, park signage, and the amount of information posted and how consistently staff convey it. Of course, the cleanliness of restrooms tops the list at any waterpark. Any operator knows the challenges that come with keeping restrooms clean when you have constant soaking wet traffic coming in and out of them all day long. Whether the floors are wet and dirty, the restrooms smell, or the bathroom supplies have been depleted, operators need to put a highly efficient program in place in order to maintain the restrooms at the highest level. Ensuring that staff know what “clean” looks like, both in the restrooms and on the park grounds, and the expectations that you have for them, should be a part of your daily cleaning schedule and rotation for on-duty staff, not just a mandate to “go and find something to clean.” Restrooms should be checked every 20 minutes throughout the day, as well as have a scheduled deep clean and supply stock a few times per day.

Guests also want general park Information to be clearly conveyed a readily available, both at your park, as well as on your park’s website. Park information such as hours of operation, admissions prices, rules and frequently asked questions should be easily accessible and clearly presented in order to avoid confusion by guests. Placing this information on your website will help provide guests with as much information as possible before their visit which helps to keep their expectations in line when they arrive. Also, park operators should evaluate all park and website signage to ensure consistency from one medium to the other. The more information your guests have before they visit your park, the less chance you have for a negative encounter once they arrive.

Park rules (or lack thereof), coupons and discounts and weather related issues top the list of why guests complain about policies and procedures. “That’s not a fair severe weather policy,” The coupon doesn’t say that it’s not good today,” and “Why can’t I bring in my own floatation device” frequently top the list of complaints heard regarding these three areas. Waterpark operators must strive to communicate policies and procedures in a clear and consistent manner, while also ensuring these policies seem fair and reasonable to the guest. Now, that’s easier said than done, but operators need to be diligent in the development of park policies and procedures. Your park’s weather policy should take into account the time the guest has been in the park, as well as the amount of money they have invested in their visit. A good experience can turn south quickly if operators don’t accomplish these in their policy. All discounts and coupons should clearly display all conditions in a prominent spot to avoid confusion on how and when guests can redeem them. Lastly, park rules need to be clearly visible, relevant and specific, leaving no gray areas that can be left up to individual interpretation. Park management and staff need to know the “why” behind each of the rules because guests will surely ask and staff need to be trained to efficiently answer their questions.

Guests complain about their in-park experience because of the different water features a park has (or doesn’t have), the number of amenities and the overall atmosphere. Whether the sprayground looked bigger on the website, or more shade and tables need to be added, complaints in this category will really help waterpark operators see what areas of their operation need the most improvement. All comments should be documented so that park management can plan for the future in the areas where guests see their park lacking, whether it’s a lack of a water feature, or shade umbrellas. While guests come to your waterpark for big thrill rides, kid’s areas and capacity holders such as wave pools and lazy rivers, they also love the smaller comforts and conveniences that you can offer like a plethora of seating areas, ample shade and great music playing at a reasonable volume.

Food and beverage issues include the quality, timeliness and price of the food served, as well as the overall quality of service the F&B team members exhibit. Food and beverage can sometimes be the forgotten division within a waterpark operation while operators often get swamped with safety, risk management and “front of the park” admissions. And, since most waterpark operators don’t have a strong F&B background, they need to ensure they bring on someone with intimate knowledge of food service and menu development to guarantee a successful operation. Whether it’s paying a little more for higher quality ingredients, or commissioning a food service expert to overhaul your operation, make sure you are training your staff to serve well-cooked and prepared food in a timely manner and with a smile. Guests will have a much harder time complaining about their F&B experience when their food looks good, tastes good and is served with a smile!

Personnel issues tend to top the list when guests complain. Through the surveys and shopper reports, complaints about park team members always came down to one of three areas, knowledge (what to do), efficiency (how to do it) and engagement (why it matters). Whether a team member didn’t know the correct answer to a guest’s question, a guest had to stand in line too long to enter the park, or a guest did not receive a welcoming greeting from a park team member, these three areas will make or break your operation. Knowledge refers to the increased level of awareness and understanding that each waterpark team member has about their position and how it relates to the overall operation of the waterpark. Efficiency deals with team members being capable and competent to increase their job proficiency based on the comprehensive knowledge they now possess. Knowledge and efficiency come together in team member engagement where they possess motivation to continue their exemplary work ethic to assist in achieving the waterpark’s goals and strive for its future success. The goal is to take each individual team member and train them as best as possible in what their job requires, how they do it well and why it matters that they do it well. I like to call this process the “KEE to success!”

Now that we know why guests complain, and have looked at some practical ways to minimize and eliminate those complaints, don’t forget that guest service success all starts at the top. Park leadership has to be involved in the entire hiring & training process for park staff, and they must model the behaviors that they are looking for. Waterpark leadership should be honest and upfront about the expectations for the various jobs they hire for during interviews and look for applicants that smile, don’t mind cleaning bathrooms, greeting guests, picking up trash and helping provide a great experience for families. Park leadership must also create buy-in for all staff through training and the implementation of a vision, mission and core values that must be communicated effectively throughout the season. A common goal for all waterpark team members to strive for is to remember that all park guests have value, and should be treated with respect. Team members should also know the cost and effort that families put into visiting your park and how the amount of money they spend can change their level of expectation. Finally, don’t forget to remind yourself and your team members to stay calm during negative guest encounters.

By evaluating the five key areas in which waterpark guests complain, facility, policies and procedures, experience, personnel and food and beverage, you can hopefully begin the journey of minimizing and eliminating guests’ complaints. While eliminating complaints altogether might be a “pie in the sky” vision, it will be well worth your time to aim high in order to maximize the waterpark experience for your guests.

It is fact, Californians are living through the most severe three-year drought in the last 1,200 years. Using satellite images of water resources, NASA has confirmed that 11 trillion gallons of water are needed to end the California drought. That amount of water would fill Lake Mead, the United States’ largest reservoir, one and a half times. As California’s “drought state of emergency” continues, most residents and officials are looking for ways to cut back and conserve as much water as possible. Simple solutions such as taking shorter showers and watering lawns less frequently have been common practice, but Californians are seeking more. One area receiving negative attention in connection to water conservation is the commercial pool industry. We have heard it all before: “Pools waste tons of water,” however, these accusations are not factually supported.

Excluding aquatic industry professionals, most of the general public have little, if any, idea how much water is actually consumed by an average sized competition swimming pool each year. For example, let us consider an outdoor Olympic-sized 50 meter competition pool. An average pool of this size holds approximately 700,000 gallons of water. There are many ways for a pool to lose water, including user splash out, operational and maintenance procedures, etc. For this example, we will concentrate on the three main components of water loss: evaporation, draining, and filter backwashing.

Did you know that an Olympic-sized 50-meter pool has a surface area of about 12,300 square feet? According to some estimates, an outdoor swimming pool can lose about one foot of water a month due to evaporation alone. For our example, that is roughly 1.1 million gallons of water loss in a year.

Keeping the pool clean is just as important as making sure it has water; no one wants to swim in dirty water. To maintain clean water and adequate levels of filtration, backwashing the pool filters is required on a regular basis. These backwash cycles typically happen once a week and expel about 6,300 gallons every backwash, equating to upwards of 325,000 gallons annually.

We will assume our pool is located outdoors and drained annually for maintenance and cleaning purposes. After evaluating the three major components related to water loss, we can confidently say our annual water loss for the pool will be roughly 2.13 million gallons. According to the USGS that would be enough water for a single person to live on for over 58 years. While 2.13 million gallons of water is perceived as a horrible amount of water to waste, in reality, it is drastically less than the amount of water used to maintain a soccer field for one year.

According to the Alliance for Water Efficiency, “A typical soccer field requires approximately 50,000 gallons of water per week in summer to maintain the healthy vegetation”. Assuming the field is watered regularly throughout the year, 2.6 million gallons of water is lost from maintaining the field. If we put that into perspective, it is almost 500,000 gallons more than what we would have lost from operating a similar sized pool. 500,000 gallons is equivalent to over 3.7 million bottles of water, which when stacked end to end would reach nearly 600 miles!

When evaluating water usage on a smaller scale, The California Urban Water Conservation Council conducted a study in 1999 of 194 homes. The addition of a swimming pool increased water demand between 22-25 percent. In comparison, a commonly used automatic sprinkler system for a lawn increased demand between 54-60 percent. While this study was strictly residential, it shows that on a small scale water usage levels between a pool and lawn are drastically different. If studies and comparisons of water usage for pools and grass fields were easily accessible and widely available, people would most likely begin to look at pool water usage in a different light.

While pools already use less water than outdoor athletic fields annually, additional efforts to increase water conservation can be performed at aquatic facilities to make this disparity even greater. Pool covers can drastically reduce the effects of evaporation on a pool, which would subsequently reduce most of the annual evaporation loss that pools face. According to Water Smart San Diego County, “pool covers can slow evaporation enough to reduce water loss by nearly 30 percent,” with some companies reporting a reduction of up to 90 percent. Reducing water loss by 30-90% would save anywhere from 330,000 to 990,000 gallons annually in our Olympic-sized 50 meter pool.

There is hope that California’s drought will end soon, but sources have shown that 44% of three-year draughts go on to last four years or longer. It is estimated that 6-9 inches of rainfall would be needed statewide to end the drought by April 2015. What does this mean for the commercial pool industry? The push for water conservation technologies and smart pool operating will only get stronger. It is essential that aquatic companies and aquatic industry professionals be prepared with facts regarding annual pool water usage. Additionally, aquatic industry professionals should educate the public with information on current and developing water conservation technologies. With the dispersion of knowledge and the continual increase of aquatic technologies promoting water conservation, people will begin to divert their scrutiny from the pool industry and focus their efforts elsewhere.

Culture is the byproduct of a group’s many years of continuous development and evolution. It is the collective history from their imaginations and morals shared by a common heritage.

The culture of a group finds expression in aesthetic ways through art, architecture, music, dance, cuisine and literature. The moral dimension, typically via traditional religious affiliation or shared experiences, is expressed in the group’s values, laws, beliefs and philosophy.

Because aquatics is not only a way to recreate but also a life skill, the opportunity to experience it can benefit those of all ages, genders and cultures, even though people around the world relate differently based on their cultural upbringing. So how does culture influence design, and how can design provide for cultural bridging?

Aesthetic culture

The local aesthetic culture is beautifully exploited in many American aquatics centers, such as Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, Calif., with its rustic beauty of nature’s desert appeal, revealing the rhythm of pools and waterfalls, breathtaking mountainside spas, botanical cactus gardens, the rustling breeze through palm trees, and warm Mediterranean architecture. By contrast, the hot mineral pools of Old Town Hot Springs in the heart of Steamboat Springs, Colo., offers a poolscape in symphony with its quiet snow-covered hillsides, streams and eddies.

Cosmopolitan aquatic high style is showcased at the Joule Urban Resort, a 1927 art deco building in downtown Dallas, with a new, jaw-dropping cantilevered pool on the 10th level terrace, where swimmers plunge into this exciting glass-ended pool for a stunning underwater view of the Dallas skyline.

Another case in point is the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s new aquatics center that took the idea of a lazy river and kicked it up a notch to create an exciting indoor kayak course, with boulders that can be relocated for varying flow characteristics. Located in the heart of much of eastern United State’s best whitewater rafting, the facility offers a comfortable wintertime training ground.

Moral culture

Recently, the issue of moral culture in aquatic design has emerged, especially where women are not allowed to be seen by men other than their husbands. A new waterpark opened in Afghanistan for Kabul’s growing middle class. However, the facility is only open to men, boys, and young girls (before puberty). Women are not allowed to swim due to Islamic moral culture.

Here in the United States, designers contracted by Rainier Beach, a heavily Islamic-populated Seattle neighborhood, created an aquatics center where Islamic women can swim without the threat of being observed by men. The designers simply incorporated frosting/shading on glass walls to allow women to swim in privacy. Through a program called Women of the World, Seattle Parks and Recreation offers single-gender swim lessons for women who, for cultural reasons, cannot swim in a co-ed environment. During these sessions, windows are covered for privacy and only female instructors are employed.

Facility design considerations include:

Separate entrances for men and women

Temporary window frosting/shading inside and out

Separate pool areas with glazing dividers

Female-only staffing for certain sessions

But culture is considered in other contexts, as well. For instance, aquatics is a life skill and, in some cases, a “life and death” skill, as in the cultural fishing communities of Alaska, where the Arctic Slope’s Inupiat Native Tribe relies on whaling as a means of subsistence living. Fishing in Alaskan waters can be treacherous, and drowning prevention can be the difference between life and death. At the North Slope Fishing Village Pools, aquatic designers created indoor pools for the rural fishing villages, so training exercises can be provided and drowning prevention taught to youths.

Facility design considerations include:

Specific water temperatures

Deep enough to train, but able to stand

Deck storage for small practice boats

Youth safety classes taught by schools

The Center for the Intrepid, a military rehabilitation center in San Antonio, was designed to help wounded military personnel recover from amputations, burns and other serious injuries. In spring 2005, Arnold Fisher and the board of directors of the Intrepid Fallen Heroes proffered a rehabilitation facility to provide state-of-the-art wounded care. Aquatic designers incorporated a FlowRider (a fun, boxed surfing mechanism usually found at waterparks) as a training device to develop balance, core strength — and excitement — into the rehabilitation process. The CFI’s military culture is prevalent throughout the facility. Active duty Army medical staff, Department of the Army civilians, contract providers, and nine full-time Department of Veteran’s Affairs employees work together to maximize the patients’ rehabilitative potential and facilitate reintegration, whether they remain on active duty or return to civilian life.

Facility design considerations include:

FlowRider therapy

Classes taught by Army medical staff

Moving forward

Challenges for the future include identifying key determinants among diverse populations that characterize the United States, and to use this information to design and disseminate effective programs. Diversifying patrons can be achieved by offering design considerations that meet cultural needs, and programs that accommodate expanding community groups.

By providing and considering aquatic design for many walks of life, aquatics can break cultural barriers, offer not only aesthetic but also rejuvenating designs, and swimming can be enjoyed by all.

Paul Graves is a project director for Counsilman-Hunsaker in St. Louis. A licensed engineer in the United States and Canada, he holds a mechanical engineering degree from Western Kentucky University. He is a former competitive swimmer and coach. Michelle Schwartz is a contract writer for Counsilman-Hunsaker. She focuses on research and writing feasibility studies, master plans, strategic plans and marketing narratives.

]]>0lindahttp://www.counsilmanhunsaker.com/?p=108192014-12-30T21:09:12Z2014-12-01T21:07:24Zmore]]>Published: Athletic Business

By Doug Cook

The design of a world-class diving venue requires understanding diving facility guidelines, diving competition rules, and the intricate interactions between divers and their environment.

First and foremost, a dive facility must meet the minimum standards of the competition taking place. For example, the overhead clearance above the diving boards and platforms must be at least that specified in the NFHS, NCAA, USA Swimming & Diving, and FINA diving regulations. This is typically five meters (16 feet, 5 inches) above the highest diving board or platform and is in place so that divers do not hit the ceiling structure. This is just one of numerous design considerations for an elite diving venue.

So, what additional attributes make a world-class diving facility? Here’s a top-10 list:

1. SEPARATE DIVE POOL

While not a requirement, a separate dive pool is desired for elite dive competition and training. This allows for swimming and diving training to take place simultaneously, as well as accommodate world-class diving events.

Moreover, a separate dive pool can be kept at a warmer temperature than the traditional competition pool — typically between 85 and 86 degrees compared to a competition pool’s 78-to-82-degree range. Divers are in the water for only a few seconds, and a warmer water temperature is much more comfortable, while the cooler temperature in competition pools is ideal for highly aerobic training and competitive swimming.

2. 10-METER PLATFORM TOWER AND SPRINGBOARDS

There are two kinds of diving competition: springboard and platform. Springboard competition takes place at 1-meter and 3-meter heights. At elite venues, a minimum of two 1-meter and two 3-meter springboards are provided. These competition springboards are typically placed on the same side of the pool as the platforms. Often, additional springboards are placed around the dive pool for practice and summer camps.

Platform diving competition takes place at 10 meters, though 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7.5-heights are also typically provided for training and warm-ups. Occasionally, a ½-meter platform is constructed for divers to practice takeoffs. A facility without a 10-meter can host a platform diving event on a 5-meter tower if both teams agree on this height.

There are two configurations for a platform tower: a two-centerline tower or a three-centerline tower. A two-centerline tower has the 10-meter platform over the 5-meter and 1-meter platforms, and the 7.5-meter platform over the 3-meter platform. A three-centerline tower has the 10-meter tower alone in the center with the other platforms on each side. A three-centerline tower is safer, as there are fewer possibilities for collision during training and competition. It also has a wider footprint. That said, two-centerline towers have been used successfully at numerous world-class facilities.

3. DARK-COLORED BOTTOM

When divers flip and rotate, they can lose their bearings without a color contrast between the pool water and the natatorium ceiling or sky. It is recommended by USA Diving that the bottom of the dive pool be a dark color — typically dark blue or black — and the walls white.

There may be issues with local health departments, as most codes require a white bottom so that a lifeguard can detect a person lying on the bottom. Most health departments will grant a variance on this regulation if the dive pool is used only for dive training and competition and is classified as a special use pool.

4. SPARGERS AND WATER-SURFACE AGITATORS

Spargers (air-bubbling systems) are utilized for diving practice. This piece of equipment releases air directly underneath the path of the divers’ travel to soften their impact with the surface of the water. It is especially useful when divers are practicing new dives.

Water-surface agitators are used during competition to break up the reflection of the ceiling or sky. Agitators are installed under all platforms and springboards. Water is typically fed to the agitator by the recirculation pump. A remote on/off switch should be provided on the pool deck or in the pool office for convenient operation of the water-surface agitator pump.

5. SPA AND/OR SHOWERS

A desired feature at all major diving facilities, a spa allows divers to relax their muscles before or after dives. The spa should be able to accommodate at least eight divers with water temperatures between 102 and 104 degrees.

Showers are also a desired feature, located underneath the dive tower or along the back wall. Sometimes only showers are provided, but both showers and a spa are desired features.

6. LARGE STAIR SYSTEM

All world-class diving pools have a large stair system for easy egress out of the pool after a dive. The stair system typically extends down four feet below the water surface. Stair systems can be located directly below the 10-meter platform in a three-centerline configuration or have multiple locations if a two-centerline tower is utilized. Typically, a recessed toe ledge is located four feet below the water surface on all four sides of the dive pool, providing the diver a resting spot within the water while receiving instruction.

7. DIVING HARNESS/SPOTTING RIG

Diving coaches like to utilize a diving harness and spotting rig for training in the dive pool. In elite facilities, there may be two diving harnesses and spotting rigs — mounted over one springboard and one platform. This allows divers to attempt new dives without the risk of injury and full impact with the water surface, since a spotter can hold them in the air.

For each harness a single pulley and a double pulley should be utilized. The double pulley should be positioned directly overhead of the dive coach/spotter. This position should be a minimum of three feet from the pool edge, to prevent the spotter from being pulled into the water.

8. DRY-LAND TRAINING ROOM

For high-level diving, a separate dry-land training room should be provided and equipped with dry-land springboards and pits, a trampoline and digital video recording capability. Recording equipment should be available in the dry-land training area, as well as on deck near the springboards and platforms. Often, dry-land training rooms are small, necessitating recording equipment components be located on the pool deck next to the dive tower.

9. SPECTATOR SEATING AND JUDGE VIEWING

The best angle for spectators to view a diving competition is from the side. It is also advantageous to be elevated in a mezzanine. Some meets are held using only temporary seating, while large world-class diving events have recently been staged with temporary pools in front of 10,000 or more seats.

Due to the deck and spectator seating requirements for a championship facility, the square footage — and cost — of such facilities is greatly increased.Ample deck space on the sides of the dive pool is needed to accommodate judges viewing the dives. Three, five, seven, nine, or eleven judges may be positioned on the sides of the pool deck depending on the level of competition.

10. LIGHTING AND TV CONSIDERATIONS

Lighting affects safety, aesthetics and spectator viewing, and therefore is a significant design issue. Aquatic facilities present unique considerations for both artificial lighting and fenestration, and standards affecting lighting dive pools and in competition are set by sport sanctioning bodies. During major competitions, lighting levels should be close to 200 foot-candles. Practice lighting can be less, but still needs to be in the 75-to-100-fc range.

Light deteriorates rapidly underwater as depth increases. Field tests show that approximately 50 percent of light at the water surface is lost within the first 12 inches. In deep-water dive pools, underwater lights may be necessary to increase illumination under the water surface, and are often required in outdoor pools. Underwater lights can also be helpful in reducing glare by “bleaching out” surface reflection.

Major sports networks will bring in lighting to achieve the 200-fc level if the facility is not constructed with the capability to meet that lighting level. Care needs to be taken in positioning. Lighting cannot shine directly in the face of a diver, as it will be a distraction during the dive.

Television requirements also include camera tracks to follow the diver from takeoff to underwater — the camera essentially falls with the diver. Camera platforms are also needed at various elevations and positions to provide the television audience with multiple angles. These are located in the spectator seating area, on deck and sometimes within the roof structure.

Examples of World-Class Diving Venues

The following examples show three world-class diving venues. The University of Tennessee is an indoor facility. The St. Peters Rec-Plex is also an indoor facility, but a municipal diving center. Stanford University is an outdoor diving venue.

The University of Tennessee’s Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center is a complex capable of hosting NCAA Championships, the Southeastern Conference, and national and international events. The center offers seating for 1,800 spectators with a spacious deck area to comfortably accommodate up to 2,000 additional individuals during meets. This 72,000 sq. ft. state-of-the art swimming and diving facility is highlighted by an eight lane 50-meter by 25-yard competition pool and a separate diving pool with 1, 3, 5, 7½, and 10-meter platform diving.

The City of St. Peters, Missouri, Rec-Plex is a world-class aquatic complex constructed for its nationally recognized aquatics program and to host special aquatic events. The Rec-Plex hosted the Olympic Festival in 1994 and the Olympic Diving Trials in 2004. This state-of-the-art natatorium includes a diving tower with 1, 3, 5, 7½, and 10-meter platform diving and a whirlpool spa.

As one of the most prestigious universities in the nation, Stanford University is not only recognized for academic excellence but also outstanding programs in athletics and aquatics. Since 1920, the university has collected countless national awards and trophies, turning out some of history’s finest Olympic aquatic athletes. In 2001, Stanford built a world-class venue for the school’s highly-acclaimed aquatics program. The high-tech facility consists of four separate outdoor pools including:

• 4,600 sq. ft. diving pool with a 3-centerline tower and four springboards

• 50-meter recreation pool

• Two whirlpool spas (72 sq. ft. and 130.5 sq. ft.)

]]>0lindahttp://www.counsilmanhunsaker.com/?p=108172015-03-20T18:10:15Z2014-11-30T21:05:45Zmore]]>Published: Parks and Rec Business

By Kevin Post and George Deines

In a world where the goal is getting closer and closer to 100% cost recovery, aquatic operators not only have to balance chemicals on a daily basis but also finances. Using real world data from both indoor and outdoor municipal pools and waterparks, three areas stand out for aquatic operations: industry trends, basic budgeting, and facility maintenance planning.

Industry Trends

With the evolution of the family aquatic center throughout the municipal parks and recreation world, it’s much more prevalent to find “waterpark-type attractions” (wave pools, lazy rivers, waterslides, etc.) closer to home than it was 20 years ago. This trend in the municipal environment toward thrill rides allows for more financially sustainable opportunities, but also provides more competition in the marketplace for those critical “make or break” 100 days from Memorial Day to Labor Day each year.

Since today’s aquatic centers incorporate recreation swimming and wellness pools to augment revenue of competitive swimming, thereby creating multigenerational facilities through shared expenses, trends continue to point to adventurous attractions. But don’t forget to incorporate passive play spaces for those who want a calmer, relaxing environment, such as current channels, children’s areas, and whirlpool spas. By providing multigenerational spaces so that families can experience the park together, you will capture a greater audience since you have “something for everyone” which will increase attendance and revenue, the two primary drivers of a sustainable operation.

Developing a careful selection of which water spaces to incorporate in your facility will have a lasting effect on the guest experience, as well as the sustainability of the operation. This is typically performed in a feasibility study prior to building a new aquatic center or the expansion of an existing one, often using a survey as its foundation.

Basic Budgeting

While catering to the needs of the demographics of your community to help make your facility a success from day one, you also need to incorporate a budget plan to ensure that the amenities you provide will allow for a financially sustainable operation. Paying careful attention to the financial details of the facility will help you plan for budgets and run a more efficient and sustainable operation.

After analyzing basic budgets across the country, aquatic operations typically include five primary areas of expenses:

Personnel/labor

Chemicals

Utilities

Maintenance

Operational supplies

As the public perceives the facility, expectations are judged from the moment they enter. Professional presentation must constantly be examined and carried out by management in its policy. The aquatic director develops the training of all staff and implements all operational procedures and budgets.

On average, aquatic personnel costs will make up at least 50% of any operational budget, and sometimes can get close to 75-80% depending on the size of the facility, number of operating hours, and staffing levels required in maintaining a safe environment. Managing labor strategically and effectively will be the primary factor in turning around and lowering the financial expense numbers of any aquatic operation. For example, if you run a facility that operates 16 hours a day during the week, and another 12 hours each on Saturday and Sunday, scheduling one extra (and possibly unnecessary) lifeguard at $8 an hour can add up fast, $43,264 over the course of one year, to be exact!

After labor costs, we found that chemicals, utilities, and maintenance all typically fall into the 8-12% range, while operational supplies will make up the other 3-5%. These numbers may vary from year to year depending on the scope of maintenance projects, as well as any emergency repairs that need to be made. For example, an outdoor wave pool that has a $9,000 air compressor malfunction, or an indoor pool that needs major plaster repairs, will obviously have a huge jump in maintenance expenses compared to a year when all the equipment functions properly.

Facility Maintenance Planning

Aquatic facility maintenance always proves to be one of the top challenges faced by aquatic facility operators. When designing a new aquatic facility or adding amenities, your aquatic designer will explain the benefits and weaknesses of new products, as well as complying with codes and regulations in the industry. But because of the sheer number of sophisticated and moving parts associated with keeping a facility running, (especially with all the new technologies that have been introduced over the past several years), operators should develop an ongoing facility maintenance and replacement plan.

The pool operations team includes the overall maintenance of the pool system and features for risk reduction to the users, employees, and facility. Pump room technicians include a unique skill set, including Certified Pool Operator (CPO) or Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) for day-to-day chemical knowledge in order to operate the facility in compliance with the local health department requirements. Operations include industry knowledge for inspection to identify and fix necessary parts and repairs.

The maintenance plan should take into account the lifespans for the various pieces of equipment to help counteract the signs of aging at the facility. While the pool structure may stay in place for over 50 years, the mechanical systems finished have a much shorter lifespan. By developing a list of every piece of onsite equipment, notating the installation date, the expected lifespan, and the repair/replacement cost, this plan can help you determine the yearly budget accordingly so you don’t end up with unexpected hits. As a general rule of thumb, a facility should save 0.5% of the construction cost each year for future repairs/replacements. Saving a small amount each year will help make sure money is in place when the big repair item comes up. Planning ahead, preventative maintenance, and constant communication with your organization’s financial director will significantly benefit your operations in the long run.

Conclusion

Aquatic facilities contain complex equipment, amenities, and support spaces that require intensive planning and extreme quality control measures. Balancing numbers in your aquatic operations entails several different areas, including basic budgeting, an equipment maintenance plan, as well as staying ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest trends in aquatics for a new facility or expanding an existing one. Aquatic operators who spend time analyzing and planning these three areas to manage and achieve daily results, will set the tone for their organization’s future success and financial sustainability.

]]>0lindahttp://www.counsilmanhunsaker.com/?p=108152014-12-30T21:05:18Z2014-04-30T21:04:52Zmore]]>Published: Park and Rec Business

By Kevin Post

Rather than traditional flat water rectangular pools, stimulating waterparks are becoming the norm for today’s recreational aquatic experience. Once the decision has been made to build a mini, medium, or destination waterpark, there are several key items to consider before starting construction that will affect success. What is your budget? What do you want to include in the waterpark? How much land do you need? What will it cost to operate? Will it make money?

Defining Success

For private developers, the definition of success is simple … to make money! For municipal waterparks, however, the definition of success can be:

Earn revenues that cover its costs and any future expansions.

Earn revenues that help pay for other subsidized facilities within the park system.

A reduction in the subsidy of the existing obsolete pool. It doesn’t have to make money as long as it’s losing less money.

All of these are appropriate definitions of success, but each one affects the outcome of the waterpark design. Determining your definition of success will help make sure your goals are in-line with realities.

Studying Your Opportunities

If you don’t have the market draw in your location, building a waterpark too big will increase your expenses, but not your revenues. If you build it too small, you may not have the amenities to attract a large segment of the population. Paying for a feasibility study at this early stage may be the best money you could spend in helping to define your market while determining realistic outcomes. It’s a small fraction of what your waterpark will cost that will save you from making expensive mistakes later.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is underestimating the cost of operating a waterpark. Labor alone can make up 50-60% of your operating budget. With all the turns and blind spots in a waterpark, the lifeguard requirement is significantly higher than a traditional style pool. Also, it’s not just one recirculation pump running now. You may have a dozen or more pumps running aquatic activities and features, which demand a lot of energy. And don’t forget all those patrons coming to your waterpark bring dirt, organic matter, bacteria, hair, makeup, suntan / body oils, and other debris into your pools, which significantly increase your chemical demand.

The other mistake is getting too excited about all the money that can be made. People often go to a waterpark on a Saturday and think, “Wow look at all these people … this place must be making a fortune.” But during the week there might be a fraction of this attendance. You may hit your capacity every Saturday, but during the work week attendance drops off, not to mention the weather factor that could cause closer and school calendars that recess for the summer in mid-June, while others start back in mid-August.

The Proper Blend

Once you’ve established some parameters for your project, it’s time to start thinking about the design and layout, at least conceptually. Having the proper amenity mix will impact the feel of your waterpark and its viability within your market. In general, a waterpark needs three aquatic elements: a capacity holder, a children’s area, and rides.

Capacity Holders: A wave pool can hold a lot of people and is one of the areas most commonly expected to see at a waterpark. These capacity spaces don’t necessarily make money, but are a crucial part of the overall success of your park. In addition to wave pools, another popular capacity holder wound its way into the waterpark, the lazy river. These capacity holders serve as the hub of the waterpark and keep families entertained without having to wait in line.

Children’s Area: Sensitively designed environments for children and tweeners can be vital to attendance. Families with toddlers and tweens need to be accommodated in order for them to come to your park and spend the day together. Large water play structures provide water play gyms for the entire family. They can be themed as water jungles, pirate coves, and rainforest temples to name a few. With slides, waterfalls, and water features, families are entertained for hours while experiencing physical fitness and family togetherness.

Spraygrounds, tot pools, and children’s pools with participatory play features with all sorts of pulleys, rope ladders, water buckets, geysers, dumping buckets, and slides need to be located near the bathhouse for convenience purposes.

Rides: Everyone wants to go down waterslides at a water park, but not everyone likes the same thing. Teens like thrill rides while families like modest rides that most anyone can enjoy. These can be a mix of body slides or tube slides and should be both open and closed flumes to offer diversity. Having a ride that allows multiple riders is another way of keeping the entire family happy. Big tube slides that have three to four people per ride add to the social aspect. Having a head first mat slide where riders can race their friends can provide a competitive experience for young teens.

Artificial surfing is another “thrill” ride. These environments use high-output pumps to produce a flow of water just a couple inches thick over a fixed padded surface. Competitions are formed and spectators enjoy watching as much as “inland surfers” enjoy the challenge. The thrill ride can be your signature attraction that differentiates your park from the competition.

Age Group

Recreational Aquatic Age-Group National Trends

Age 0-3

Tot Pool, Tot Slides, Gentle Spray Features

Age 4-7

Water Sprayground, Zero-Depth Pool, Participatory Play Features, Sand Play

Everyone likes to plan the rides and fun features of a waterpark, but one of the crucial areas that will affect the long term operational success for your park is the support spaces. Proper placement of your restrooms, concessions and mechanical spaces can greatly improve the overall experience. Giving proper consideration for how people will use these spaces and how they will affect the traffic flow within your park is a fundamental part of the planning effort. You also need these spaces to be easily cleaned and maintained for years to come. While nobody will come to your waterpark to visit the restrooms, they will certainly not come back if they are appalled by them.

Setting Your Fees

Waterparks face fierce competitors vying for discretionary leisure spending. You’re not just competing with other waterparks, you’re competing with any activity where people spend discretionary income, including movies, sporting events, and dining out. The entry fee will have the biggest impact on your revenue. This fee not only provides initial revenue as people walk through the turnstile, but also impacts how many people come to your waterpark and spend money in other areas. As a general rule of thumb, keep pricing simple. Too many parks offer a special price for every situation. You’ll see a standard fee, followed by a children’s fee, a family fee, a senior fee, then a resident rate, followed by a non-resident rate, then a daily rate vs. season pass rate, then a … well you get the point. If the person at the front desk can’t say it from memory, you have too many options. The other part of setting your fee is establishing what you feel is your park’s value. Everyone loves discounts; set your price higher and offer discounts. This way you can adjust how much money you bring in without changing your fees each year.

Planning for Expansion

Attractions can be added to the waterpark in increments as more capacity is required. No matter what size of waterpark or how many rides you have, over time people enjoy seeing something new. To generate additional excitement, add a new ride or amenity every two to three years. When initially planning your park, consider where your first expansion will go. This keeps you from having to place the newest thrill ride right next to the quiet waters you’ve established as an “adult area”.

As the time comes for your expansion, make sure it’s the right choice. Go back to step one. Review your market and see what area you need to address. Look at how your park operates and consider what would make it better. Adding a new attraction isn’t always the right answer. You may need to add more capacity, or you may need to meet the needs of an underserved age group. Once the decision has been made to expand there are several key items to consider that will affect its success. What is your budget? What do you want to include in the expansion? How much land do you need? What will it cost to operate? Will it make money? Essentially, you need to revisit previous planning efforts.

With aquatic recreation being one of the most popular activities in the United States, a properly planned water park can be a magnificent asset for your community. Opening a new facility can seem overwhelming, but taking the proper steps during the planning process can ensure success for you and the waterpark.

]]>0lindahttp://www.counsilmanhunsaker.com/?p=79512012-04-19T16:27:33Z2012-04-19T16:26:33Zmore]]>Published: World Waterpark – Development and Expansion Guide

November 2011-2012 issue

By: Kevin Post

Rather than traditional, flat water, rectangular pools, stimulating waterparks are becoming the norm for today’s recreational aquatic experience. Once the decision has been made to build a mini, medium or destination waterpark, there are several key items to consider before starting construction that will affect success. What is your budget? What do you want to include in the waterpark? How much land do you need? What will it cost to operate? Will it make money?

Defining Success

For private developers, the definition of success is simple … to make money! For municipal waterparks, however, the definition of success can be:

Earn revenues that cover its costs and any future expansions.

Earn revenues that help pay for other subsidized facilities within the park system.

A reduction in the subsidy of the existing obsolete pool. It doesn’t have to make money as long as it’s losing less money.

All of these are appropriate definitions of success, but each one affects the outcome of the waterpark design. Determining your definition of success will help make sure your goals are in-line with realities.

Studying Your Opportunities

If you don’t have the market draw in your location, building a waterpark too big will increase your expenses, but not your revenues. If you build it too small, you may not have the amenities to attract a large segment of the population. Paying for a feasibility study at this early stage may be the best money you could spend in helping to define your market while determining realistic outcomes. It’s a small fraction of what your waterpark will cost that will save you from making expensive mistakes later.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is underestimating the cost of operating a waterpark. Labor alone can make up 50-60 percent of your operating budget. With all the turns and blind spots in a waterpark, the lifeguard requirement is significantly higher than a traditional style pool. Also, it’s not just one recirculation pump running now. You may have a dozen or more pumps running aquatic activities and features, which demand a lot of energy. And don’t forget all those patrons coming to your waterpark bring dirt, organic matter, bacteria, hair, makeup, suntan / body oils and other debris into your pools, which significantly increase your chemical demand.

The other mistake is getting too excited about all the money that can be made. People often go to a waterpark on a Saturday and think, “Wow look at all these people … this place must be making a fortune.” But during the week there might be a fraction of this attendance. You may hit your capacity every Saturday, but during the work week attendance drops off. Not to mention the weather factor that could cause closures and school calendars that recess for the summer in mid-June, while others start back in mid-August.

The Proper Blend

Once you’ve established some parameters for your project, it’s time to start thinking about the design and layout, at least conceptually. Having the proper amenity mix will impact the feel of your waterpark and its viability within your market. In general, a waterpark needs three aquatic elements: a capacity holder, a children’s area and rides.

Capacity Holders: A wave pool can hold a lot of people and is one of the areas most commonly expected to see at a waterpark. These capacity spaces don’t necessarily make money, but are a crucial part of the overall success of your park. In addition to wave pools, another popular capacity holder is the leisure river. These capacity holders serve as the hub of the waterpark and keep families entertained without having to wait in line.

Children’s Area: Sensitively designed environments for children and tweeners can be vital to attendance. Families with toddlers and tweens need to be accommodated in order for them to come to your park and spend the day together. Large water play structures provide water play gyms for the entire family. They can be themed as water jungles, pirate coves and rainforest temples to name a few. With slides, waterfalls and water features, families are entertained for hours while experiencing physical fitness and family togetherness.

Spraygrounds, tot pools and children’s pools with participatory play features with all sorts of pulleys, rope ladders, water buckets, geysers, dumping buckets and slides need to be located near the bathhouse for convenience purposes.

Rides: Everyone wants to go down waterslides at a waterpark, but not everyone likes the same thing. Teens like thrill rides, while families like modest rides that most anyone can enjoy. These can be a mix of body slides or tube slides and should be both open and closed flumes to offer diversity. Having a ride that allows multiple riders is another way to keep the entire family happy. Big tube slides that have three to four people per ride add to the social aspect. Having a head first mat slide where riders can race their friends can provide a competitive experience for young teens.

Artificial surfing is another “thrill” ride. These environments use high-output pumps to produce a flow of water just a couple inches thick over a fixed padded surface. Competitions are formed and spectators enjoy watching as much as “inland surfers” enjoy the challenge. The thrill ride can be your signature attraction that differentiates your park from the competition.

Age Group

Recreational Aquatic Age-Group National Trends

Age 0-3

Tot Pool, Tot Slides, Gentle Spray Features

Age 4-7

Water Sprayground, Zero-Depth Pool, Participatory Play Features, Sand Play

Everyone likes to plan the rides and fun features of a waterpark, but one of the crucial areas that will affect the long term operational success for your park is the support spaces. Proper placement of your restrooms, concessions and mechanical spaces can greatly improve the overall experience. Giving proper consideration for how people will use these spaces and how they will affect the traffic flow within your park is a fundamental part of the planning effort. You also need these spaces to be easily cleaned and maintained for years to come. While nobody will come to your waterpark to visit the restrooms, they will certainly not come back if they are appalled by them.

Setting Your Fees

Waterparks face fierce competitors vying for discretionary leisure spending. You’re not just competing with other waterparks, you’re competing with any activity where people spend discretionary income, including movies, sporting events and dining out. The entry fee will have the biggest impact on your revenue. This fee not only provides initial revenue as people walk through the turnstile, but also impacts how many people come to your waterpark and spend money in other areas. As a general rule of thumb, keep pricing simple. Too many parks offer a special price for every situation. You’ll see a standard fee, followed by a children’s fee, a family fee, a senior fee, then a resident rate, followed by a non-resident rate, then a daily rate vs. season pass rate, then … well you get the point. If the person at the front desk can’t say it from memory, you have too many options. The other part of setting your fee is establishing what you feel is your park’s value. Everyone loves discounts; set your price higher and offer discounts. This way you can adjust how much money you bring in without changing your fees each year.

Planning for Expansion

Attractions can be added to the waterpark in increments as more capacity is required. No matter what size of waterpark or how many rides you have, over time people enjoy seeing something new. To generate additional excitement, add a new ride or amenity every two to three years. When initially planning your park, consider where your first expansion will go. This keeps you from having to place the newest thrill ride right next to the quiet waters you’ve established as an “adult area.”

As the time comes for your expansion, make sure it’s the right choice. Go back to step one. Review your market and see what area you need to address. Look at how your park operates and consider what would make it better. Adding a new attraction isn’t always the right answer. You may need to add more capacity, or you may need to meet the needs of an underserved age group. Once the decision has been made to expand, there are several key items to consider that will affect its success. What is your budget? What do you want to include in the expansion? How much land do you need? What will it cost to operate? Will it make money? Essentially, you need to revisit previous planning efforts.

With aquatic recreation being one of the most popular activities in theUnited States, a properly planned waterpark can be a magnificent asset for your community. Opening a new facility can seem overwhelming, but taking the proper steps during the planning process can ensure success for you and the waterpark.

]]>0bigwideskyhttp://counsilmanhunsaker.com/?p=65502011-11-06T23:01:25Z2011-11-06T23:01:25Zmore]]>Key factors to consider before designing your next aquatic venue.

By Scot Hunsaker

An engineer, an architect and a lawyer set about discussing the origins of the earth one evening, pondering what professional qualifications the Creator might first have applied toward the task. The engineer, speaking first, said “engineering was definitely involved. Just look at how all the different systems–hydraulics, air movement, structural elements of the land–obviously the work of an engineer.”

“Perhaps,” said the architect, “but look at how aesthetically pleasing everything was put together. The trees, the prairies, the great, beautiful oceans. It would have taken the designing eye of the architect to create such beauty out of chaos.”

“Ah, most certainly,” agreed the lawyer. “But who do you think created the chaos?”

There have been many occasions when I’ve walked with facility operators through the mechanical areas of a brand new state-of-the-art aquatics center and gotten the distinct impression that, had they heard that joke, the systems operators would have given the designer enough credit for having created the chaos without any need for the lawyers’ input.

“Why did they use this kind of system?” the operator might sneer. “What were they thinking of when they put this here?” I’ll hear them mutter. “Whose bright idea was this configuration?” they snicker.

Key Issues

Strategies for input during design process.

Methods of prioritizing design decisions.

Today’s role and future expectations of automation in aquatic facility management.

How to have input during construction process.

Where to spend capital funds for greatest value.

Operator issues during design.

Common obstacles and solutions to project development.

Trends in facility operations.

I don’t take offense because I understand and appreciate their perspective. Often, the operator is introduced to a brand new state-of-the-art aquatic facility at poolside, with all the modern amenities the industry has to offer, only to discover maintenance and operational systems that are not what he might hope for. If the operator’s response to that is merely adversarial, then no one wins–not the owner and certainly not the operator.

If, on the other hand, the operator takes a higher, professional approach by doing the best with what is available while preparing solid, positive arguments for more sophisticated systems in the future, he or she will reveal the qualities of a true operations professional.

The Design Process–Sizzle Sells!

Getting a contemporary aquatic facility from dream to construction is a long trip during which many alternate routes are considered. The trip usually begins when a group of planners or a private ownership team proposes a concept for the new facility. There is a very rough idea of what they want and some estimates of the money available to finance the project. It is the designer’s job to mold that rough information into a very specific facility design.

Beginning as much as a year or two in advance of construction, the design consultant begins accumulating information that will help form the design. Beginning with what the owners think they want, the designer also investigates the needs of the community or other potential users of the facility.

Through detailed study, information including potential revenue, operating expenses, site selection and construction costs is compiled to give the owners a better understanding of the economic viability of the intended project.

With that information in hand, several schemes are usually presented to the owners, each representing different possible solutions to their requirements. Inevitably, this process leads to a finished product that represents a series of compromises, some affecting the patron-oriented amenities and some affecting the systems operational side.

It is said, though, that the “sizzle sells the steak,” and that is certainly true in the case of aquatics facilities. Though a pie-in-the-sky proposal might include all the latest high-tech pumping and filtering systems one could imagine, when it comes time to shaving dollars off construction costs, the current rivers, spiral slides, wet-playground amenities or the 50 meter pool configuration are going to remain in the plans long after the Super XYZ automation system has been downgraded.

Indeed, the sizzle sells, and that is true, not only in the eyes of the potential users, but in those of the owners and financiers as well. No one is going to decide to build or finance a project because of its elaborate mechanical systems. They will decide based on the services and programs the facility provides the public, and the capital investment budget available to provide those services.

As a result, a design that originally calls for an automated fill funnel for the pool might get downgraded to a manual unit, with retrofit potential built in for later consideration. Similarly, a manual backwash system might be substituted for an automatic system. The world’s premier filter room is of particular interest to you; but when it comes to selling the facility, it’s going to be the fun, not the filtering, that draws the crowd.

Operator Assistance

Is there no place in the design process, then, for the operator’s input? Absolutely. In fact, designers who fail to explore the past experiences and observations of professional pool operators are not taking advantage of an extremely valuable information source.

There are many critical issues involved in pool design where operators can have valuable knowledge. For example, they might have specific knowledge about the source water chemistry. If it has a lot of mineral content or has an extremely high or low pH level, these are issues that will effect the appropriateness of certain kinds of chemical balancing systems. In many areas, water chemistry dictates that CO2, for example, may not be appropriate.

Operators can also be helpful in evaluating the capabilities and limitations of the maintenance staff, which will also affect the kinds of systems selected for the facility. Are staff members intuitive and knowledgeable about the procedures they conduct? Do they understand how changes in chemistry will affect the water quality? Or do they perform better under conditions that call for clear-cut step-by-step procedures?

Operators need to be honest about their own experience as well. Just as there are different types of cars for different driver demands, so too are there different designing and engineering solutions for various skill levels and performance expectations for aquatic facility operators. A knowledgeable and dedicated pool operator can tweak any system to operate at the most efficient levels possible. He/she can make anything work. If that level of experience and dedication is lacking, however, a different, more autonomous kind of system might be indicated. Conversely, if the operator is extremely control oriented, if he/she prefers hands-on manual control and tends to constantly override automated procedures, then designing a costly high-tech automated system is a waste of money.

Operator availability is another factor that will affect design decisions. How much time will the operations staff have to accommodate the needs of the facility? Will the operator be stopping by once a week to backwash the pool and check the chemistry levels, or will there be on-site personnel, constantly evaluating water quality and systems performance?

Operators will also likely have site-specific knowledge concerning attendance patterns and weather conditions that designers should take into account. What demand levels will be placed on the facility? Will there be a heavy bather load, or light? Will weather changes affect the water quality?

All these issues will determine what level of automation, what level of technology and sophistication will be required to maintain clean, clear water. And all are issues that operators with past experience will have valuable insights and judgments to assist the designer in making the appropriate recommendations.

Personal preference aren’t insignificant issues, either. If an operator has had prior experience with certain systems, and managed them successfully, it is reasonable to suggest continuing with similar systems, if appropriate.

There are all kinds of facility requirements and all kinds of operators maintaining the facilities. The design team’s strategy is to develop the mechanical system most efficiently tailored to the needs of the facility and the qualifications of the operator. And the operator can certainly provide valuable insights to help achieve that goal.

Pick Your Battles

No matter how convincingly you argue your case, though, you aren’t going to win every battle. As stated previously, design is influenced primarily by programming and service features, and the capital investment budget. The owner wants to get the most patron-oriented options for the dollar. Naturally, the operator wants to get a facility that is easy to operate. In the tug of war for dollars between those two, patron-oriented features are going to win more often than not.

So pick your battles. In the compromises that characterize the design process, decisions are usually categorized according to their level of requirement. Some things are absolutely required. Others are of obvious benefit, though not critical to the facility, while still other amenities fall into a “bonus” category: If the money’s still there after fulfilling other needs, these things would be nice to have.

Operators should apply those same critical judgments when determining what is important to them. Is the type of filtration system of tantamount importance? Some people swear by diatomaceous earth because of water quality, others by sand because of ease of operation. What is a priority to you?

Others have strong opinions about pool coatings. Should the tank be surfaced with paint, plaster, colored concrete, or tile? This is an issue that operators frequently second guess, and one for which many issues enter into choosing one over the other. But if you feel strongly about the benefits of one, place it on your critical list and let your opinions be known.

Be heard, not hard

The important thing is to voice your opinions in a meaningful, productive way. The biggest challenge operators face in the design process is simply being heard and getting involved. In many cases–especially with new facilities–operators are not brought into the organization until a month or two prior to opening. Obviously, most of the system design decisions have already been made at this point. The professional operator benefits from the understanding that the priorities do focus on the patron-oriented, revenue-producing amenities, and compromises undoubtedly had to be made in the operating systems. Negative comments and asides at this point are non-productive and will only create an adversarial role between operator and owner.

It has been my experience, however, than when the opportunity exists–and frequently this opportunity occurs in remodeling and updating projects-ownership and design teams have welcomed the opinions of operators with open arms. That is the way it should be. Facility design undoubtedly benefits when it is achieved with the valuable input of operations professionals. After all, you can have the most wonderfully designed and engineered facility in the world; but if the operators don’t or won’t take advantage of the systems in the way in which they were designed to be used, it is a frustration and a failure for everyone involved.

By participating in the design process in a meaningful, constructive way, operators can contribute to a facility design that is truly designed from the pits up, and will consequently make everyone happy: owners, users, and operators.